


Just Some... Help

by drarry_believer



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Angst, Angst with a Happy Ending, Book 4: Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire, Boys Kissing, Domestic Fluff, Drarry, Established Sirius Black/Remus Lupin, Eventual Fluff, Eventual Happy Ending, F/F, Falling In Love, Family Fluff, First Dates, First Kiss, Fluff, Fluff and Angst, Fluff and Hurt/Comfort, Gay Draco Malfoy, Gay Harry Potter, Gay Remus Lupin, Gay Sirius Black, Good Draco Malfoy, Happy Ending, Harry Potter Has a Pet Snake, Hogsmeade Dates, Hogwarts, M/M, Minor Sirius Black/Remus Lupin, POV Draco Malfoy, POV Harry Potter, Protective Remus Lupin, Romance, Romantic Fluff, Snark, Snarky Draco Malfoy, Tooth-Rotting Fluff
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-08-29
Updated: 2020-10-10
Packaged: 2021-03-06 16:22:16
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 9
Words: 4,726
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26171908
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/drarry_believer/pseuds/drarry_believer
Summary: Draco Malfoy contacts Harry saying he needs help, and Harry decides to trust him... In a twist of fate Harry ends up with Malfoy's life in his hands.Just some drarry fluff and angst <3Updating every day :)
Relationships: Draco Malfoy/Harry Potter, Hermione Granger/Pansy Parkinson
Comments: 3
Kudos: 36





	1. Chapter 1

*New message from unknown number*  
D: Potter. It’s Malfoy  
H: Malfoy? How did you get my number??  
D: I need to ask you for a favour.  
H: the great Draco Malfoy asking for help?  
D: I’m not asking for help, I’m asking for a favour.  
D: There’s a difference, not that your thick brain could understand that.  
H: whatever Malfoy  
D: Wow great comeback there Potter. Real clever.  
H: what do u want Malfoy  
D: I can’t write it here, but it’s important.  
H: What do you mean you can’t write it here?? If u want my help then u need to at least tell me why!  
D: I can’t risk it.  
D: There can’t be any evidence.  
D: I know it’s hard to trust me given our… history, but this is important. If it wasn’t I wouldn’t be asking you.  
H: ok… well I guess that makes sense   
H: I’ll give you one chance  
H: but if this is a trick or something Malfoy...  
D: No, I swear it’s not.  
D: Will you meet me tomorrow after classes? There’s a little corner opposite the restricted section that will work.   
D: I’ll tell you what it is then.  
H: ok fine  
H: wait not tomorrow I have quidditch practice  
H: what abt Tuesday?  
D: Yeah okay.  
D: Thanks Potter  
H: Draco Malfoy saying thanks?? Is that really Malfoy?  
D: Shut up Potter.


	2. Chapter 2

Harry thought about Malfoy for the rest of the weekend... And Monday... And Tuesday. While thinking about Malfoy all the time wasn't new, thinking about Malfoy like this was. A sort of nervous anticipation constantly ran through his mind. 

For his part, Malfoy was rather close to becoming a nervous wreck. It was only the well-practiced mask that kept him from falling apart in front of everyone. He couldn't really believe that he had done that, he had texted Potter. And now he was going to have to tell him why. Tell Potter of all people. 

Harry wondered why he was doing this - why he was even considering it. It was clearly a trap, Malfoy had more pride than to ask his archenemy for help, no matter how desperate he was. But he seemed sincere. He seemed... different somehow. Less hateful. And there was the fact that he had said thanks. How did Malfoy even get his number in the first place anyway? Why was he doing this? It was Malfoy of all people.

And yet on Tuesday after classes, Harry found himself walking to the library, his footsteps quick with anticipation. They slowed as he reached the doors of the library and looked around nervously. It could still be a trap, he told himself as he headed toward the restricted section. Opposite the restricted section he had said... But as he paced up and down the aisle, looking for the blond, Harry didn’t see anything.

Malfoy swallowed as he saw a flash of the red Gryffindor uniform, the messy dark mop he knew belonged to Harry Potter. Gathering his thoughts and making sure the mask of indifference was set on his face, he stepped forward. 

He had been so stupid coming here, trusting Malfoy. Surely, he was watching him from around a corner, sneering at how gullible Harry was. His body tense, he headed for the doors, fuming about bloody Malfoy who had tricked him for no apparent reason. He was so sick of him and his stupid jokes.  
His fuming nearly made him miss the quiet sneer of "Potter for Merlin's sake, in here", that belonged to Draco Malfoy.  
He whirled around, startled by the hiss, and looked at the books suspiciously before approaching.  
"Malfoy?" he asked hesitantly, searching for the unmistakable blond hair. The bookshelf moved ever so slightly to reveal a hidden door, and Harry pulled his wand out of his back pocket of his muggle jeans before pushing it open. Malfoy stood leaning against the opposite wall, bringing his hands up mockingly in a surrender position.  
"I'm not going to hex you, so you can put your wand down." Harry eyed him suspiciously before lowering his wand. Malfoy noticed he kept it tightly clenched in his fist, tan from the quidditch he had undoubtedly been playing that summer. 

"Why do you need my help Malfoy?" he shot at him, wary of the taller boy standing in the hidden room in the library. It was a good place for studying, Harry thought, looking around at the bookshelves that surrounded them. A little small for two people, he realised, shifting uncomfortably in the small space, but the desk pushed against the wall would be perfect for a chance to study in private.  
"it’s... Are you okay? You look very tense."  
"no shit Sherlock. I'm meeting with you, my enemy, in a hidden corner of the library without knowing why!"  
".. Sherlock?" Malfoy questioned, and then paused before saying "Are you sure? You really don't look okay."  
Harry was surprised at the trace of concern he was pretty sure he heard in Malfoy's voice. "It's... nothing. I'm fine. What do you want?" He couldn't very well tell Malfoy that the small space seemed to be closing in on him, the stifling heat making his fingers tingle. He shook his arms, trying to relax, but the sweat rolling down his neck gave him away. The blood seemed to rush to his head all at once as Malfoy stepped towards him and he feebly put up his arms, trying to hold himself upright and keep Malfoy away. This space was small enough even without Malfoy here. The wall was unyielding behind him, Malfoy still approaching, and he couldn't breathe. His vision blurred, the floor suddenly bucking under him.  
"Potter?" He heard before everything went black.

As Potter stepped into his study corner, Malfoy felt a jolt of electricity go through his body before berating himself internally and smoothing his mask back into place. He noticed the tense muscles in his shoulders and neck as the dark-haired boy looked around at the walls. "Are you okay?" he heard himself asking, cursing himself at the note of concern he could hear in his voice. In front of him Potter was backing up, his breaths coming in short gasps and sweat shining on his tan skin. "Potter?" he said, the concern in his tone evident. But Malfoy didn’t notice, as he was focused on the shorter boy, who had reached the wall and was now stretching out his arms as if to keep Malfoy away. Surely Potter wasn't that afraid of him? What was happening? And then without warning, Potter fell forward onto Draco, who struggled with his dead weight before giving in and collapsing in an undignified way onto the floor, Potter unconscious on top of him.


	3. Chapter 3

It was only a few moments before Potter came to, a few moments that Draco absolutely did not spend appreciating Potter’s weight on top of him, his arms circling the shorter boy, resting lightly on his back.

Blinking and mumbling softly, Harry shifted slightly and then froze, remembering where he was and... who he was on top of? With a sharp intake of breath Harry suddenly became very conscious of the lithe body underneath him, the blurry grey eyes only inches away from his own. He attempted to scramble off Malfoy, those grey eyes watching him with amusement. Fuck, he thought, only too aware of what had happened. Why had he not gotten out of there earlier? Fuck. Scrambling around for his glasses, he cursed under his breath.   
“Potter.” Harry stopped and looked at the blond, lying on the floor, propped up on his elbows, holding out his glasses. Git. Harry thought, glaring at Malfoy and reaching for them.  
But Malfoy lifted them higher, jerking them out of his reach, and Harry felt a rush of heat travel up his neck.

Draco was holding the glasses, thinking this through. Potter would just leave as soon as he got his glasses back, he was sure of it. And he needed to know what the hell just happened.  
His thoughts were interrupted as a mop of messy black hair was flung into his face and Potter pounced on him, apparently in desperate need to reach his glasses. Draco let out a whoosh of surprise and fell back onto the floor at Potter’s sudden weight. The shorter boy’s legs straddled Draco’s middle, his fingertips brushing the wire frame.  
“Do you really want me on the ground that bad Potter?” He smirked. Red flooded into Potter’s cheeks, although his scowl grew bigger at the comment.   
“Potter are you going to tell me why you freaked out like that or are you just going to run off?”  
Again, there was no answer, and he instead pushed off the floor to grab the glasses and jam them on his face before picking himself up and rushing out of the corner.


	4. Chapter 4

*New message from Malfoy at 11:37pm*  
D: Potter  
D: What happened before?  
D: Potter  
D: You can’t just ignore me forever  
D: I still need your help anyway  
H: You said u weren’t asking for help, just a favour  
D: Yeah well, I was wrong  
D: So what happened?  
H: Nothing I’m fine  
H: When do you want to meet?  
D: It’s obvious everything is not fine Potter.  
H: When do you want to meet?  
D: Why did you pass out?  
H: It’s not important Malfoy  
H: I’ll meet you on the 7th floor by the tapestry  
D: Potter you can’t just not tell me what happened.  
H: Can you come or not?   
D: What happened?!  
H: I think it’s pretty obvious what happened Malfoy. Do you really need me to spell it out for you so you can tell the whole school about how ‘the great Harry Potter’ is claustrophobic? You want to get confirmation from me so you can tell the Slytherins that Harry Potter is scared of small spaces? Well Malfoy sometimes it’s not about you and what you want. Sometimes it’s about privacy and leaving someone alone when they clearly want to be left alone!  
D: Oh  
D: I’m sorry  
H: Ok well we’ll meet on Friday  
H: After classes  
D: Ok  
D: Thank you


	5. Chapter 5

Saturday and Sunday passed with no sign of Malfoy, and something odd stirred deep in Harry’s stomach at this thought. Pushing the feeling away, he tried to instead focus on all the homework he had to finish. But Malfoy also hadn’t told anyone about Harry’s claustrophobia, he realised, his quill stilling in his hand, dripping ink all over the empty parchment. Harry hastily stowed it in the ink pot before charming away the mess. Normally Malfoy would love to tell all his slimy Slytherin friends and then harp on about it for weeks. But not this time. Maybe Harry had been right in thinking Malfoy was different, maybe he was changing. But then again, it was Malfoy, he couldn’t really trust him. Obviously that Slytherin git was just waiting for the right time to reveal this new knowledge about Harry.   
The excitement of the upcoming announcement of the Triwizard Tournament competitors forced most thoughts of Potter out of Draco’s mind, until halfway through Monday. As he caught sight of the messy black mop, his footsteps faltered before he continued to stride down the corridor.   
“Potter”, he snarled at the black-haired boy, putting as much vehemence into his voice as possible in order to cover up the shiver that had gone through his body at the sight of those green eyes.   
“Malfoy” was spat out in reply, but his eyes were questioning behind his glasses. Draco brushed past Potter, sweeping away in the best imitation of his godfather he could manage.

That night Draco heard the familiar name thrown into the space, “Harry Potter” echoing in the silence that accompanied it. He wouldn’t be that stupid, surely. Draco should’ve known that something like this was going to happen. 

The next morning at breakfast Draco watched Potter through the flurry of owls arriving with mail. With his head down he ate fast, clearly wanting to get out of the busy hall. When he looked up, his brilliant green eyes caught Draco’s immediately. Draco watched him mutter something to his friends before pushing his chair back and exiting the room. Draco stood up, shooting a glare to the questions he knew his friends were thinking. He hurried to catch up to the footsteps that were now fading up the stairs, and soon he stepped around a corner to find Potter waiting for him, a scowl automatically on his lips.  
“I didn’t put my name in the Goblet of Fire,” he burst out defensively. “I don’t even want to do the tournament I-” he broke off as Draco raised his hands as if to fend off the rushed words.  
“OK!” He paused, considering his words. “Ok I believe you.” He hesitated before asking “Does this mean you can’t do Friday?”  
Potter blinked, startled for a moment before raking a hand through his already messy hair, making it stick up all over the place. Draco fought the urge to reach out and stroke it. He could imagine how soft it would feel under his fingers if he could brush it back. He forced his eyes away from the mop as Harry spoke.  
“Yeah, I’ll probably be busy.”  
“Okay.” He would just have to wait until Potter was free. “Also, Potter,” Draco drawled, stopping him before he could leave, “No one can know that we’re talking to each other, okay? Do you understand? No one.” Potter nodded, dazed by Draco’s sudden intensity, and Draco disappeared.


	6. Chapter 6

As the date of the first task drew closer, Malfoy noticed a change in Potter. Of course, he would be nervous for the task, but he seemed oddly agitated, growing quieter in classes, snapping at Hermione whenever she spoke to him, and not speaking to Ron at all. In potions he was subdued, never reacting to Snape’s or any of the Slytherins jabs.   
Potter would barely eat at mealtimes, only coming into the great hall for a few minutes to grab some toast or scarfing down some chicken before leaving. 

When Malfoy cornered him in the corridor a week later, Harry’s eyes flickered to the badge fixed to the front of Malfoy’s robes before returning to his face. Staring at Malfoy, he waited for the blond boy to start with an insult.   
“So, Potter, how long are you going to last in the first task? I’d say about five minutes, wouldn’t you?” he drawled as he turned to Crabbe and Goyle on either side of him. They replied with grunts that Harry could only assume were meant to be laughter. He didn’t reply, and instead turned away and continued to charms class.   
Draco watched him go, at a loss for what to do. Potter had never ignored one of his insults before. Dazed, he turned away from Potter’s retreating back. His voice was gruff when he spoke to Crabbe and Goyle.   
“Come on then” he said, leading them away. 

Draco was becoming increasingly agitated as the date drew closer, snapping at the other Slytherins. His friends grew worried about him, but he insisted that he was fine, because he was always fine. A Malfoy was always fine.   
The tone in the letters from his father were changing, growing excited, and hints about the tournament were mentioned every now and then. Harry’s involvement seemed to be a particular cause for celebration, and Draco knew it wasn’t just because of the dangerous tasks. There was something more to it.   
His mother’s letters were also changing, becoming worried, and warned him not to get involved with the tournament, and to always stay alert and watchful. 

Eyes followed Harry everywhere but the only ones he really noticed were Malfoy’s.   
Harry found himself thinking about Malfoy more than he should have been, seeing as the first task was in less than a month. Their meeting in the corridor the day after his name was pulled out of the Goblet of Fire kept running through his head. The way he hadn’t hesitated before accepting Harry’s word, just trusting Harry to be telling the truth. Even Ron didn’t believe him, his best friend. But Malfoy did, just because he had said so. Out of almost everyone in the school, it was Malfoy who took his side. Not publicly, of course but Harry knew about a different Malfoy than the mask he put on every day. One that believed Harry without a moment’s hesitation. This was different to the Malfoy he had known before, and the Malfoy he continued to see in the corridor. He would often try to pick fights with Harry and then get flustered and confused when he didn’t retaliate, which, although he couldn’t admit it to himself, Harry found rather adorable.


	7. Chapter 7

*New message from Malfoy at 10:22am*  
D: Hey Potter  
D: Are you okay?  
D: For our meeting of course are you able to meet sometime soon  
D: We need to meet really soon  
D: It’s quite important  
H: um… yea ok I’m not really doing anything this week so it’ll be good to have a distraction from the task  
D:What??  
D: Shouldn’t you be preparing somehow  
H: Well there’s not much point in preparing if I don’t know what it is  
D: Well you could practice defence spells and stuff at least  
H: Relax it’s ok I have been with Ron and Hermione  
D: Ok well I guess that’s ok then…  
D: But it’s fine if you need to practice spells rather than meet with me  
H; No no its really fine  
H: I’m free like every single day after classes  
H: u?  
D: Yeah me too basically  
D: How about we meet on Tuesday?  
H: Yea sure sounds good  
D: Where should we meet because obviously our previous place doesn’t work  
H: I have a place…  
H: But you can’t tell anyone about it  
H: Ok?  
D: Ok…. Sure I won’t  
D: Where is it  
H: Meet me on the seventh floor by the troll tapestry  
H: The ones that are trying to dance  
D: That’s very oddly specific  
D: But alright  
H: Ok I’ll see you there :)  
D: Yeah


	8. Chapter 8

A little confused at the instructions he had been given, Draco let his mind to wander to Potter as he climbed the stairs to the seventh floor. A kind of desperation and hopelessness had been building as the weeks went by, time dragging him closer to the Christmas holidays. Every morning, the sight of his owl swooping into the Great Hall to deliver a letter made his stomach clench painfully. But during this, Potter had been something to think about, because even if thinking about him made him more confused, it was a welcome distraction from his situation. 

Harry made his way to the seventh floor, wondering again just why he was trusting Malfoy with this place. The decision to not tell his friends anything had been made for him the day in the hallway when Malfoy had cornered him and fiercely told him that no one could know.  
As he reached the tapestry of the trolls, he spotted a flash of blond hair and quickly looked around to see if anyone else was there. He stepped closer to Malfoy, clearing his throat to indicate his presence.   
“Potter” Malfoy greeted him, his voice sounding tired and thin.   
“Malfoy” Harry replied. “Erm... So, we- I have to just walk here to make the room appear.” Malfoy stared at him, lifting his eyebrows in question at the mess Harry had made of that sentence. He ignored this and instead turned to pace down the corridor, thinking about a place to talk, not too small but just for the two of them... He looked up happily as a door appeared in the wall and turned to Malfoy to see his grey eyes wide and pink lips parted, a small noise of surprise leaving them. As he watched, Malfoy swallowed, pressing his lips together.  
Draco’s eyes flicked to Potter to make a comment about the door, before noticing that his eyes were already on Draco, but rather than at eye level, Potter was staring at his lips. Experimentally, Draco slowly took the side of his lip between his teeth, watching Potter closely. He heard his breath hitch and Draco looked at the door before looking back to Potter who was now staring at Draco. That was very interesting.   
“Shall we?” Draco managed, indicating to the door with his arm. Potter nodded, opening the door to reveal a spacious room, filled mostly with a large table like the ones found in the library, two chairs placed next to each other. Draco followed him in, sitting next to Potter at the table.   
Harry pulled out some snacks from his pockets, wrapped carefully in paper and placed them on the table. He was pleased to see Malfoy’s face turn indignant as he spoke.   
“Why do you just have food in your pockets?” he asked, confused.   
“Oh... Erm I guess I just always carry it with me? It’s just from lunchtime.” Harry replied, scratching the back of his neck as he said it.   
“Why do you always carry food with you?” Malfoy asked, a curious lilt to his voice.   
“Just habit I guess” Harry mumbled, not wanting to tell Malfoy about that just yet. “Anyway, why did you need to see me so badly?” he asked as he took a piece of treacle tart from the table, popping it into his mouth. Malfoy stilled, his expression becoming guarded and his words careful.   
“Okay. Well, Potter, recently I discovered something about myself, which is not helpful to my survival at all, but you’re the only person that can help me, because it’s not going to change.” He took a deep breath before continuing, all of Harry’s attention focused on him and his words.  
“I know that the Dark Lord is growing stronger, not only from you but also because of the talk at my house.” Harry felt a thrill go through his stomach that Malfoy trusted his word, listening as he continued. “My parents-” here he hesitated, thinking through what he was going to say. “They talk about the growing strength of the Dark Lord, about the inevitable separation between the muggle world and the wizarding world, and the death of all muggleborns. And it’s just not something I believe in and I want to help you fight him because he can’t come to power.” He spoke the last sentence quickly, the words coming out rushed, and Harry sat back, trying to process this turn of events.   
Draco watched Potter carefully, letting him react to Draco’s words.   
“and Potter you can use veritaserum or a truth potion on me if you don’t trust my word, but-”  
He broke off as Potter looked up, his eyes questioning. “When did this change of heart happen?”  
“Well, it was at the Quidditch World Cup, when I saw the destruction his followers made, how little they cared for it. I- that was when I really knew that I didn’t want to be just another one of them.” Potter nodded, and Draco breathed out. He seemed to believe him, at least enough to not hex him out of the room.   
“Why did you tell me about this?”  
“Because, well, the first thing I did was go to Severus, and he’s started teaching me occlumency to help me block out the Dark Lord, and now I need to go to Dumbledore, but you’re going to know either way, and I thought that telling you seemed way less daunting than Dumbledore. And I thought that- I thought maybe you would come with me to tell him?” The words came out jumbled and rushed, and he felt vulnerable, laying all his weaknesses there for Potter to judge.


	9. Chapter 9

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> sorry!! it's been a while (school got hectic) but i am back,, love u all <3

Making up his mind, Harry strode over to the boy who was looking at the floor, ashamed of asking for help. He wrapped his arms around Malfoy and put his head on the taller boy’s shoulder. Harry felt him stiffen, and when he didn’t let go, a head fell onto his shoulder.  
“Of course, I’ll come with you.” Harry had been caught by surprise at Malfoy asking for help, but he figured it was just part of the new Malfoy he was getting to know.  
“Thank you, Potter.” Malfoy breathed.  
“It’s okay” Harry replied. Pulling away, Harry laughed out loud at the sight of Malfoy’s usually immaculate hair, now ruffled, and Harry immediately reached out to ruffle it some more.  
“Oi! Potter stop!” he got in response, as well as a slap on the wrist as Malfoy tried to stop his hand.   
“We’re friends now? Right?” Harry said, grinning when Malfoy nodded. “So… You can call me Harry”  
“Okay then... Harry, you can call me Draco.” And Draco smiled, a proper smile, not a smirk or a forced smile or a mocking smile. One that Harry had not seen before, and he grinned back at Draco, looking into his grey eyes  
Draco bit his lip, watching Harry’s eyes flick to his mouth and smiled before speaking.   
“Harry... Can you tell me what happened last time we met? Now that we’re friends and telling each other stuff.” Draco stated this confidently, needing to know more about Harry.  
“What- what do you mean-?”  
“Why did you faint? Why do you – the chosen one – have claustrophobia that bad?”  
The chosen one? Did Draco really think his life was easy?  
“Malfoy you know nothing about me and, and why should I even trust you?!” Harry burst out.  
“I just told you all that stuff about me, think about it as... as a trade of information. And by the way, I had to trust you a whole damn lot to tell you about The Dark Lord- I’m trusting you with my life.” He looked up as if he had only just realised this. “Harry...”  
His grey eyes bore into Harry’s, open and vulnerable as he realised all his defenses were down. It was because of this new vulnerable Malfoy that said thank you and returned his hug and seemed to care about Harry that he started speaking, his voice low and halting, his eyes holding Malfoy’s.   
“When I was younger, when I- before I knew I was a wizard, I lived with my aunt and uncle and cousin. They- they weren’t very good to me, they kept me in a- my bedroom was a cupboard under the stairs.”  
Harry’s gaze fell to the floor. He hadn’t told anyone about this, not even Ron and Hermione, so why was he trusting Malfoy suddenly?   
“Sometimes they would lock me in there for days and forget to bring me food so- so that’s why I need- I like to carry food around with me at Hogwarts.” At this he gestured to the food on the table.  
“Oh Harry” Draco’s voice was soft, and he didn’t think twice about wrapping his arms around Harry, holding him close and breathing in his scent of broomstick polish, freshly cut grass, fire smoke and treacle tart. He held Harry’s trembling shoulders, squeezing them tightly, as if to stop both him and Harry from falling apart.   
“I’m so sorry” he murmured, his words muffled by Harry’s shoulder.  
“It’s fine-” Harry started to say but was cut off by Draco.  
“No, I wanted to say I’m sorry for everything. All the years we’ve been at Hogwarts, I’ve just been jealous of you. First your fame, then your quidditch skills, and then your friendships. I’ve just- you’ve always been there, better than me or having more than me. I’m sorry. I’ve been horrible.” Unsure as to why he was saying this, why he was making himself more vulnerable to Harry, Draco stayed where he was, with his face pressed into Harry’s shoulder so he wouldn’t have to face those green eyes.  
“Draco,” Harry said softly, “I’m sorry too.” They stayed wrapped in each other’s arms for a long time, just standing there holding each other.  
When they finally pulled away it was only because Harry’s stomach informed him that it was dinner time and they needed food, not to mention the suspicion that Harry would have to face from Ron and Hermione if he didn’t go, because he never missed a meal.


End file.
